The present invention relates generally to snowplow systems and more particularly to a self diagnosing snowplow connecting system for connecting a snowplow or other accessory to a vehicle.
One of the most common ways to move and remove fallen snow is with a snowplow attached to a vehicle. Generally, however, most vehicles are not dedicated to this single purpose. That is, during the milder seasons the snowplow is removed and the vehicle will be used for other purposes. To facilitate this, the vehicle will usually have a mounting bracket affixed to its frame. The snowplow can then be attached and removed as desired.
In addition, the snowplow must be connected to the vehicle's electrical system, both to receive power and to provide the proper controls to the operator. As such, a wiring harness consisting of an electrical connector and receptacle, is provided for connection between the vehicle and the snowplow. Once the snowplow is connected to the mounting bracket, the wiring harness is connected between the plow and the vehicle. The operator may then control the plow from within the cab of the vehicle.
Generally, a snowplow will have various electrical and mechanical components which must receive power from the vehicle and must also be controllable from inside the vehicle. For example, most snowplows will have hydraulic actuators which cause the plow to move up, down, right, left, and vary the angle at which the blade contacts the ground. In V blade plows, the angle between the two sections of the blade must also be controllable. Additionally, the snowplow will have its own set of lights. This is necessary because the blade of the plow will often obstruct the vehicle's integrated headlights. Without the additional lighting, the snowplow could not be used at night, which is often the snowplow operator's busiest period. As a result, the snowplow operator relies heavily on this lighting system. Therefore, it is of paramount importance that this lighting system be reliable and functional.
In many cases, the connection of the snowplow reconfigures the vehicles wiring. That is, once the snowplow is connected, the vehicles headlights are prevented from working at all, thus causing total reliance on the plow's lighting system. This is done to prevent the vehicle headlights from shining on and reflecting off of the back of the blade, which would distract the operator. To allow proper operation of the lights, the connection of the plow must alter the vehicle's internal wiring scheme. This is in addition to the power and control connections which are also necessary. Therefore, the wiring harness is more complicated than a simple power coupling.
A typical wire harness is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,062, issued to Miller et al. on Jul. 21, 1981. An auxiliary set of lights are provided and are connected to the vehicle's lighting controls. The harness is installed within the vehicle and provides a plug in for the auxiliary lighting system which may be selectively coupled to it. A switch allows the operator to select between the vehicle lighting system or the auxiliary lighting system. During installation, the vehicle lights are disconnected from the vehicle's wiring system. The connection to the wiring system is essentially split, through a Y connection that is coupled to a switch. The vehicle's headlights are then reconnected to one branch, while the auxiliary lighting system is coupled to the other branch of the wiring system. The switch then allows the operator to toggle between lighting systems.
Due to the complicated functionality that is required, the wiring harness has many potential weaknesses. The harness or any of its connections could fail due to the harsh, wet conditions as well as the sheer force generated during the plowing operation. Furthermore, the harness could simply be improperly coupled to the vehicle, due to operator error or an accumulation of snow or ice in the sockets. If for any reason, the plow is coupled incorrectly, the operator may not realize it, until the desired function becomes critical. Therefore a need exists to provide a snowplow connection system which checks the status of the connection and the plow components used, and indicates their readiness to the plow operator.